When a group of students at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Burlington, North Carolina, came inside after hearing thunder during soccer try-outs, teacher and coach Nancy Evans saw what looked like a sticker on the wall that looked like the Virgin Mary. When she got closer she realized it was chipped paint, probably caused by a ball that had been bounced against the wall or a chair scraping against it. Principal Sal Trento agreed, as did many of the students, though one described it as “a fish with an antler.” The wall is scheduled to be repainted, though before it is Principal Trento plans to have an art teacher make a tracing of the chip for posterity.

It was Easter Sunday and Connie Lopez of Refugio, Texas, was crying and praying in her dining room. When she looked up she thought she saw an image of the Virgin Mary in a stone above the gas fireplace. “It wasn’t there in December when we were decorating it,” she says. She was called inside and forgot about the image until April 19 when fellow parishioners came over for a spaghetti dinner and one of them saw it. Since then more than 200 people from at least 26 Texas cities have dropped by to see the stone. Some see Jesus, other angels, Our Lady of Guadalupe, or the pope. Viewing hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, at 406 Ymbacion St., Refugio, Texas.

While cleaning a griddle at the Las Palmas restaurant in Calexico, California, last week, a chef looked down to see what appeared to be an image of the Virgin Mary on the metal. The next day the Rev. Gerardo Fernandez of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church confirmed that the image was indeed a likeness of the Virgin. The griddle has been taken out of the kitchen and put on display in a storage room which the restaurant’s manager says will be renovated so people can continue to check out the griddle for free. So far more than 100 people have dropped by to view the ghostly griddle, including Renegado and Mr. Tempest, two Mexican wrestlers who were in town for an appearance at the local swap meet.

When some rocks fell in Paul Grayhek’s backyard in Coeurd’Alene, Idaho, during Lent, it left a 9′ x 4′ hand-like rock formation that he calls the “Hand of God Rock Wall.” Not being selfish, he’s decided to share it. With the highest bidder on eBay, of course. (Current bid, $1,575.) The posting says “some disassembly required” and shipping isn’t included, but the winner will be “buying the rights, complete and exclusive rights” to the rock, including literary and movie rights. Hopefully once word gets, uh, upstairs that Grayhek is selling the rocks more of them won’t fall leaving only one finger on the hand extended.

As with any car dealership these days, sales are slow at Jarrett Ford Lincoln Mercury Dade City, Florida, but hopefully they’re about to pick up. A 3-foot tall stain has appeared on the used car sales manager’s office door that many think looks like Jesus Christ. Can wrist bands with WWJB (What Would Jesus Buy) be far behind?

Dena Patterson of Brooksville, Florida, was walking through the woods in West Virginia in 1996 when she came upon a rock near a stream with what she though was the image of a veiled Mary cradling the baby Jesus in her arms. She’s looking to sell the rock because her health is declining and she wants the money to go back to West Virginia to see her family. Peter Harries, associate professor of geology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, says the rock is shale and doesn’t think the image significant. “Things that mimic (other things) are pretty constant in nature,” he said. Perhaps, but there is a striking resemblance to Mrs. Butterworth.